From the Belly of the Carp: Night Programmes

At the same time, the carp also represents the return of aquatic life in the Singapore River following the Clean Rivers campaign that was launched by former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in 1977. This ten-year clean-up involved more than dredging and clearing rubbish – squatters, backyard trades, hawkers and lighterage activities that lined the river were resettled as well. By 1987, the Straits Times reported the presence of guppies in the Singapore River as a VIP or “Very Important Piscean” as it signals the rebirth of the river befitting Singapore’s image as a distinctively clean and green city.